ISLAMABAD: The National Security Committee (NSC) Friday strongly condemned recent spate of terror attacks in Afghanistan and observed that the reaction of the Afghan government was based on misconceptions created by certain foreign elements.
The 18th meeting of the NSC met here under the chair of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and attended by Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal, Chairman JCSC General Zubair Mehmood Hayat, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshall Sohail Aman, National Security Advisor Lt General (r) Nasser Khan Janjua and senior civil and military officials. The committee emphasised that the people of Pakistan understood the pain and anguish of the people of Afghanistan very well since they were themselves the greatest victims of terrorism. The committee reviewed the security situation in the region and strongly condemned the recent spate of terrorist attacks in Kabul. It observed that the government and people of Pakistan shared the shock, grief and sorrow of their Afghan brethren and stood by their side in complete solidarity.
The committee expressed the resolve to continue with positive engagement with Afghanistan, including the already planned visit of Pakistani delegation to Kabul on February 3, 2018, for discussions on Pakistan’s proposed ‘Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Solidarity.”
The national security body expressed satisfaction on the progress made with regard to border controls with Afghanistan and noted that the Afghan government should support the fencing of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border as it was in the interest of both the countries.
The meeting reviewed the actions taken by federal and provincial governments to fulfill the country’s international responsibilities under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) framework. The body expressed satisfaction over the objectives achieved so far and directed the ministries concerned to complete the few outstanding actions at the earliest.
Published in Daily Times, February 3rd 2018.
